This branch of the Austrian Hesch family is descended from Johann Hesch and his wife Marya (Schlinz) Hesch, who came to America from Oberschlagles, Bohemia with three sons: Paul, Mathias, and Anton. +++Johann & Marya settled in Buffalo County, Wisconsin but moved to Pierz, Mn in about 1885. .+++Mathias settled in Waumandee, Wisconsin and moved to Pierz in 1911. +++Anton never married but farmed with his dad in Agram Township, where he died in 1911.+++And Paul, my great grandfather, settled five miles away, in Buckman, Minnesota. He died there in 1900.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

On my HESCH family tree, I have seven men named Paul. The earliest was born about 1760, the latest in 1965, but heres one born in 1914.

From what I can tell, this Paul was the son of grandpa Anton's brother Joe (who died in October 1926). He wound up in Brainerd, and he obviously enjoyed playing "Paul Bunyan" for their summer festival. The page I found this on says "It was big Paul Hesch with his big black beard that most demonstrated the legendary character that gave the extravaganza its' name--Paul Bunyan".He does look familiar, doesn't he?